Art
June 9, 2021

Japan’s Manhole Covers Colorfully Decorate the Streets of Each Prefecture

From origami to wabi-sabi ceramics, Japan is home to many world-renowned arts and crafts. However, there’s one particular Japanese art form that you may not have heard of—decorative manhole covers. All across the country, thousands of municipalities transform the removable metal plates into works of art. For most people, ordinary manhole covers aren’t anything extraordinary. However, for people in Japan, they’re significant cultural canvases.

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Tutorials
June 8, 2021

How an Analog Astrophotographer Created a Multi-Exposure Lunar Eclipse Photo

Australian photographer Jason De Freitas is known for his analog astrophotography. While shooting the stars on film may seem daunting, it's not as hard as you'd think. Recently, De Freitas took the time to break down his process for photographing a lunar eclipse on film. These days, with most photographers working digitally, this type of image is simply composited together in Photoshop. But for De Freitas, who works in-camera, this wasn't an option.

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Sculpture
June 7, 2021

Enormous Sculptures Rooted in Nature Take Over Arboretum

South African artist Daniel Popper debuted his first major exhibition in the United States—and his largest ever—at The Morton Arboretum in Illinois. Human+Nature is a sprawling exhibition that sees five large-scale sculptures by Popper invading the 1,700-acre arboretum. Ranging anywhere from 15 to 26 feet tall, the sculptures “inspire awe as they connect people and trees.

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Art
June 7, 2021

Designer Reimagines What Historical Figures Would Look Like Today

Historical figures such as Aristotle and Leonardo da Vinci are household names. Nevertheless, these figures often feel like part of a distant past full of people we can barely imagine. That is how graphic designer Becca Saladin felt several years ago. As a fan of both history and art, Saladin decided to use her Photoshop skills to bring historical figures to life for a series entitled Royalty Now. Starting with contemporary (or close to)

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.